After an exhaustive eight-year legal struggle, Hollywood icons Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have finally brought their divorce proceedings to a close. The settlement marks the end of one of the longest and most contentious divorce battles in recent A-list celebrity history.
Jolie, 49, and Pitt, 61, who were once referred to by the media as ‘Brangelina’, one of Hollywood’s most glamorous couples, first met in 2005 while co-starring in the blockbuster action-comedy film, Mr. & Mrs. Smith. After many years together and even adopting several children, they were then married in 2014 at their jointly owned Château Miraval winery in France. However, severe cracks began to show in their relationship soon thereafter, with Jolie filing for divorce in September 2016, a mere two years after saying, “I do”. Jolie cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for their divorce, following an alleged incident of abuse during a private jet flight, where she claimed that Pitt had behaved abusively towards both her and their children.
In the years since, Jolie and Pitt’s divorce has been mired in bitter legal disputes over child custody, their property, and assets. While a judge officially declared them divorced and single in 2019, their lengthy legal battle continued as they struggled to come an agreement on how to divide their shared assets and settle on a custody arrangement for their six children. As of now, with most of the children being over 18, the custody agreement is largely a formality, but it has not been without controversy. Some of the children have even opted to drop “Pitt” from their surnames in recent years as way of signalling their solidarity with Jolie.
The power couple’s legal battle intensified after Jolie sold her share of their French winery, Château Miraval, to a Russian oligarch in 2022 without Pitt’s consent, which Pitt claimed violated a prior agreement between the two of them. Pitt subsequently filed a lawsuit, accusing Jolie of intentionally trying to harm the reputation of the renowned property with such a move. However, the legal dispute regarding the sale is still unresolved. This case, along with the lengthy proceedings surrounding child custody and alleged instances of abuse, only served to further drag out the finalization of Pitt and Jolie’s divorce.
Nonetheless, Jolie’s lawyer, James Simon, confirmed that a settlement has at last been reached by the couple, despite the ongoing legal complications, marking the conclusion of a significant chapter in their lives. “More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt. She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time, she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over,” Simon said in a statement to CNN.
Although the divorce has officially been settled, no court documents have been filed yet, and a judge will need to sign off on the agreement before it can be set in stone. The use of private judges throughout the divorce process has also kept many of the proceedings confidential, but various details have slowly emerged through other lawsuits and legal filings, bringing to light much of the above.
At Grayfords, our team of expert family law solicitors are highly experienced in complex divorce cases involving high value assets in multiple jurisdictions. If you are considering a divorce and would like to gain an understanding of how we can help you through the process, then don’t hesitate to call us today on 020 7100 6100 to book your initial free consultation for more information on our services.
